Coronavirus and social distancing introduced a new model of interviewing that will likely continue into the future. From Zoom to Google Hangouts, there are tons of video interview platforms to meet with a company from the comfort of your own home. According to the Legal Job Site, online job interviews increased 49% since 2011. Whatsmore, it seems the move toward online interviews is widely received by both interviewers and interviewees. Many may feel that online interviews may be better, perhaps more comfortable, than in-person interviews. However, it is important to consider the differences between the two modalities. Understanding your strengths and weaknesses as it relates to online interviews will help you better prepare for and ace every interview.

Before the video interview


How to prepare

You should prepare for online interviews in the same way you prepare for in-person interviews. Take fully fleshed-out notes on the company and enter your meeting with informed questions. Some people may think that having the company website or extensive notes open in another tab can suffice in an interview. However, opening another tab can do more harm than good. Online interviewers can tell when you are not looking into the camera or that you are reading from a list of notes. Even if they don’t, you may spend more time parsing through your notes or trying to find specific points on the website than actively engaging with your interviewers. It may also stunt natural conversation if you pause to locate a particular point you would like to speak about.

 As such, it is best to focus on the interview without the use of notes. Memorize quick facts you think are important about the company and direct the conversation to those points when appropriate. You will notice how much more confident you feel when you are familiar with the information.

What to wear

It is often difficult to know what to wear to an in-person interview. Some outfits may be too formal, others too informal. It is always better to err on the side of caution and assume formal business attire unless you are told otherwise. While your online interview may only show a bit of your shoulders, it is important to ensure that you are fully dressed. Wear a shirt, blazer, and slacks. Some companies have been known to ask interviewees to stand up so they can ensure they are fully dressed. Even if they don’t, you never know what could happen. Wearing professional bottoms avoids any awkward situations due to unprofessional bottoms. 

Similarly, you may want to test your camera to see if you look washed out. Videos have a way of making us look different than we do in real life. If you wear makeup, you may want to use it. Otherwise, find lighting in your home that makes you look and feel your best. 

When to join your video interview

The unspoken rule for in-person interviews: arrive early. This may still be the case for online interviews, but you should arrive 5 minutes early instead of 15 to 20. Most likely, everyone in the online interview will also be meeting from home. If you arrive earlier, you might be stuck in an online waiting room. It is still important to arrive a bit early, however. You don’t waste valuable interview time addressing any connectivity or audio issues. 

You may even want to test your audio and video half an hour to an hour before your video interview to ensure everything is working correctly. If you have a Zoom account, you can use Zoom’s test features to make sure everything works. Google Video Chat also contains similar preview features.

Ideal video interview environment

The location you select to do your interview is extremely important. You should choose a quiet location with a reliable Internet connection. If possible, try to choose a location that isn’t your bedroom. For example, you may have a nice spot at your breakfast nook or office space you can borrow. If your bedroom is the only location you have, try to angle the camera in a way that highlights you more than your bed or other items in your room. 

If you live with other people, be sure to notify them about your interview so you can measure their volume or avoid barging into space where you will interview. Lock the door on pets as well as they can be unpredictable. 

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During the video interview

Fake background or real background?

Zoom allows meeting participants to join any meeting with a background. A background should only be used if you feel your background is too unprofessional or unpredictable. For example, if you plan to take your interview in your dining room and someone in your home plans to make breakfast in the kitchen behind you or you’re Zooming from your bedroom and your bed is unmade. The most ideal real Zoom background is a blank wall or in front of a bookshelf. 

If you must use a fake background, make sure it is professional. Use brick walls or a picture of the workspace such as an office. A quick Google search of “professional Zoom backgrounds” should yield some great examples. Try to find a large, high-quality photo. You should also ensure that the green screen perfectly covers the walls behind you. Try moving around to make sure the green screen works properly. You would never want to be in a situation where half your shirt turns into a fake background. 

Be succinct

It’s so secret that in-person interviews are more involved; video interviews feel less engaging for many reasons. There are so many distractions that are vying for the interviewers’ attention. They may have children at home, work to attend to, or other priorities. It is as simple as turning off their video or opening up a new tab. Therefore, you want to make sure you’re not talking too long or rambling on any given question.  Shorter, more impactful answers are always better and do not leave the interviewer room to lose focus. Practice answering questions using the STAR method to help keep answers concise! 

Remember to be friendly

It is harder to establish a connection with people via video chat than it is in-person. Try to compensate for that by being friendly. A kind persona may work in your favor in a similar way that being kind and bringing positive energy to an interview would. 

Connectivity issues

If you run into technical challenges, try your best to troubleshoot. If you lose your interviewer for any reason during the interview, call them immediately via phone. It is important that they know that you care about this interview and are doing everything you can to keep going. If they don’t pick up, try sending an email detailing the loss and your attempt to reach them. They will likely have some instructions on how to resume the interview. If you are unable to solve the challenges, email them with suggestions about alternative meeting plans. Again, your initiative will bode over well.

After the Interview


Send a thank-you note after the video interview

As with any regular interview, thank you notes are crucial. Thank the interviewer for their time and the opportunity. Let them know you look forward to hearing from them soon. A small token of appreciation goes a long way in the interview process. 

Conclusion

Video interviews are here to stay, but they also present unique challenges. But with a little preparation, you can ace your interview!

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The money topic is never comfortable. It can be even more uncomfortable if you are asking your superiors for a raise. While every person’s situation is different, there are some typical milestones in which you can—and should—ask for a raise. As a general rule of thumb: it is common to get a raise each year you work for an employer. So, how often should you get a raise?  There is a time, place, and way to ask for a raise. We will explain all of those details below!

When to ask for a raise

Most employers will complete a performance review within after each year you’ve worked with the company to provide feedback about your skills, successes, and areas for improvement. This is the best time to assess how your employers value your performance. Using this information can help leverage when and how you ask for a raise. For example, if your supervisor gives you a glowing performance evaluation, you can feel validated about your raise request. You can even point to some of the successes and work ethic your bosses mentioned to underscore your reasoning for requesting a raise. 

However, if your performance review is a bit lackluster, you may want to take some time before asking for a raise. Instead, you may want to implement the suggested feedback and make some improvements before asking for a raise. 

 

Asking for a raise more than once a year

There are a few times where it may be worth it to ask for a raise more than once in a year. You may want to ask for a raise if you recently were promoted to a new position with more responsibility. You may especially want to request a bump in pay if you are working longer hours or are overseeing a team. Similarly, you may want to discuss a pay increase if you achieved a sizable company goal. However, you should use this sparingly. For example, if you secured the largest contract the company has ever seen or completed a company-wide project that took years to finish, it may be worth discussing compensation for your success. Looking for specific negotiation tips? Check out our previous blog post on salary negotiation!

How to ask for a raise

You should never ask for a raise without doing some research and reflecting on your time at the company. You may even want to create a presentation to formalize your request. If your managers are pressed for time, you do not need to make a PowerPoint presentation but you should enter a meeting fully prepared. There are many factors to consider and include in your presentation. 

Salary Comparison

You should compare your salary to people with the same job title or function as you in the area. For example, if you are a Junior Advertising Executive in New York City earning $60,000 a year and you see that the average salary for your job is about $68,000, you can use this information to your advantage. 

Company changes

You may want to also consider the company as a whole. If the company has acquired a large new client or had a period of steady growth, this could be a reason for a raise as well. You should especially mention this new growth if it has impacted your workload or you had a hand in the acquisition of new clients or high sales. 

Cost of Living

If you were transferred to a new branch in a city with a more expensive cost of living, you should ask for a raise. Pose your raise as an adjustment to compensate for higher costs. NerdWallet and Salary.com have cost-of-living calculators to help you compare prices between cities. For example, it will tell you how much you will need to make in Los Angeles, CA to achieve the same lifestyle you have with your current salary in Indianapolis, ID. 

Accomplishments

The most effective and compelling way to ask for and get a pay increase is to focus on yourself. Take some time to compile some data about your impact within the company. Qualitative and quantitative data can work here. In a larger company, your impact can get lost in the hundreds or thousands of other employees. Take this opportunity to prove that you are a valuable member of the team who consistently performs. Did you improve overall cross cultural communication with better HR policies? Did you kickstart a successful project without direction? Did you exceed a fundraising goal for your nonprofit? Perhaps, a client or customer wrote a glowing review about your work. Focus on your accomplishments that made an impact on the company.

Similarly, you can discuss your relative workload. If you manage a team and the size of the team grew or you recently took on a new project and you are working more hours, you can and should ask for a raise. Any increase in the amount of work you are expected to do should come with an increase in salary. Of course, you should use this reasoning sparingly. You don’t want your superiors to think you will ask for a salary increase every time you are tasked with a new responsibility. Instead, use this line of reasoning when you have experienced a large jump in your responsibilities and expectations. 

Another factor many students tend to prioritize in their college decision is location. You may be hesitant to go somewhere far from home, or maybe you’re excited to move from a rural town to a big city. Whatever the case may be, think of location in relation to the university and your goals: How will the university’s location allow me to further engage with my academic interests and professional goals? 

For example, if you are interested in a career as a software engineer after graduating, schools, such as Stanford University, located in an urban setting with a growing tech hub may offer professional development opportunities right in your backyard. If you’re interested in a career in medicine, a school that is proximate to an extensive network of hospitals offers opportunities to gain valuable hands-on experience as you prepare for the transition to medical school.

Negotiating your raise

While there is a pretty good chance you will get the raise you ask for—Payscale reports 39% of people receive the amount they ask for in a raise, there is a chance you will not get exactly what you want. If your employers tell you that they do not have the funding to increase your salary, consider your alternatives. In place of a salary raise, you may be able to ask for other benefits. You can ask for opportunities such as working from home, flex hours, or better health benefits. Walk into the meeting with a target salary amount or other options you would accept in lieu of a raise. It is also customary for supervisors to ratchet down your suggested salary amount. Therefore, you may want to ask for a few hundred or a thousand more than you expect to get. For example, if you want to make $76,000 a year, you may ask for $77,000. This gives you a bit of wiggle room for your employers to negotiate down. If all things go well, you may even get a higher salary than you expected!

Be confident

It can be intimidating to ask for a raise, but confidence is key. Remember that you are an asset to your company. Walk into that meeting with the confidence that you deserve your raise!